Celine Dion breaks down in Las Vegas during late husband Rene Angelil tribute

An emotional Celine Dion cried on stage as she returned to her Las Vegas residency with a tribute to late husband Rene Angelil

The singer performed for the first time since her husband’s death last month, singingWith One More Look At You/Watch Closely Now at her show at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on Tuesday, which she live streamed on her website.

Celine broke down as she talked about her love for her husband and manager, who died last month at the age of 73 after a long battle with cancer.

Emotional: Celine Dion cried after performing for the first time since the death of her husband Rene Angelil, as she returned to her Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on Tuesday

The show began with a sweet montage of family photos and videos, before Celine launched into her first performance since Rene’s death.

After getting a standing ovation from the crowd, the 47-year-old teared up as she shared memories of her husband.

‘Through my life, I only had eyes for my husband, who sat out here night after night,’ she said.

‘People thought that I was looking at him actually, but I didn’t need to because every time I closed my eyes I felt Rene on stage with me.

‘Whether he was seated in his seat right there, in the balcony, backstage or at home with the kids, he’s always been onstage with me and nothing will ever change that,’ she said.

Tribute: Celine sang With One More Look At You/Watch Closely Now as she paid tribute to her late husband and manager

Grief: The Canadian star wore a sparkling black dress with silver stars

‘Rene always surrounded me with the very best people possible. I trusted him so much that I never really had the chance to worry about anything. Now I guess, it is only a natural impulse to constantly question myself. ‘Would you let the kids play with these toys? Is this song too fast? Is this song too slow? Don’t talk too much?’ she said.

‘It is pretty amazing that since he’s physically no longer with me, he is even more present.’

And she talked about how her husband had guided her career and had always treated her as if they were still on a first date.

Return to the stage: The singer was overcome with emotion after her performance

Digging deep: Celine got a standing ovation as she was overcome with emotion

‘Rene was my very best critic,’ Celine said. ‘He never told me what I wanted to hear, he told me what I needed to hear.

You know, night after night on our way back home from the show, when he was so silent, I could sense that he was trying to know how to approach me without hurting my artistic feeling. But there were things that he had to tell me for my own growth,’ she said.

And she praised her husband’s loving and respectful nature.

‘Rene is the only man that I have known all my life. He always made me feel that we were on our first date,’ she said.

‘Never talking bluntly, and always impressing himself in a soft and gentle way.’

Grateful: The My Heart Will Go On singer thanked her fans for being there as she returned to her Vegas show

By her side: The singer said she could always feel Rene’s presence on stage with her, and his death hadn’t changed that

‘We were one and nothing has changed. We will always be one,’ she vowed.

‘You know, I might not hear his voice yet, but I talk to him, I think of him all the time. I feel, and I know he hears me, one way or another, I know he will give me a sign for his approval or not,’ she said.

‘And now, I can feel that he’s telling me to zip it – and start singing,’ she joked.

The show began with a photo montage of Rene as a child, young man and then home videos of him with Celine and their children: Rene-Charles, 15, and twins Eddy and Nelson, 5.

Tribute: Celine told the crowd that she still talks to her late husband all the time

Love story: ‘We were one and nothing has changed. We will always be one,’ she said

Time’s up? The singer joked she could feel her husband telling her to ‘zip it’ and start singing again

He is seen kissing Celine’s hand, offering her a coat, and placing a loving hand on her pregnant belly. His voice is then heard saying ‘Thank you very much, have a great one tonight.’

The performance was Celine’s first since the death of her husband, but she previously spoke about him at a public memorial in Las Vegas earlier this month.

The show began with a photo of Rene and a quote from Celine, reading ‘I understood that my career was his masterpiece, his song, his symphony.

‘The idea of leaving it unfinished would have hurt him terribly. I realized that if he ever left us, I would have to continue without him, for him.’

Memories: The show, which was live streamed on Celine’s website, began with a montage of family videos and photos. Above, Celine and Rene with sons Rene-Charles, Eddy and Nelson

Family: Rene put a loving hand on Celine’s baby bump when she was pregnant with their twins, now five

True love: The singer said her husband always treated her as if they were on a ‘first date’

Doting dad: The couple with their twins in another photo she shared during the montage

World travelers: Celine and Rene beamed as they met South African icon Nelson Mandela